Conventional golf bags, both full size and junior size, have a central containment volume in the form of an elongate cylindrical space. Typically the top or entrance of the golf bag may be reinforced with structures tending to divide only the entrance of the contained volume. While a subdivision of only the entrance of the golf bag helps to protect the club heads to a degree, the club shafts within the bag are free to bump and scratch each other. Further, the extent of the subdivision of the space at the entrance of the golf bag is typically limited to three or six openings for larger bags, and typically one or two openings for junior bags. This number does not provide even separation of the clubs, which must be stored at least two clubs per opening. The opening subdivision structure also tends to have thick dividing members which restrict the entrance opening into the golf bag. Consequently a larger number of small subdivided spaces equates to a lesser overall opening space into the golf bag.
Many prior golf bags have attempted division of the bag space, but none have been as effective as shown in the types of techniques illustrated in U.S. Pat. No 5,573,112 issued to Jin C. Kim. In it, the sub divisions are arranged for efficient manufacture and to provide a stable support for the space subdivided within a golf bag. Efficient division of the space within a golf bag should provide for even division of the cross sectional entrance area, as well as result in an even balance of the golf clubs carried within the bag. The Jin C. Kim bag enabled full-length protection for clubs in a full sized bag, combined with an ultra light weight.
Other configurations and combinations are needed in order to provide a wider variety of efficient subdivisions of the golf bag area while also accomplishing other goals as well. These goals include sufficient support at the bag entrance of the upper divisions, as well as between the individually divided portions. Other problems to be solved, even with junior sized bags, include the provisions of dividers in conjunction with bag stands and the provision of bags intended to be carried on the shoulder and which will assume a narrow middle dimension when carried from the shoulder, limited only by the number and disposition of clubs carried within the bag.
The size of the junior bag presents other problems. It is significantly smaller in open area, anywhere from just less than half to 3/8 of the open area, based upon a junior bag diameter of six inches and an adult bag diameter of from eight to ten inches. The height may be anywhere from a height just short of that of a conventional sized bag to about 80% of the size of a conventional bag, based upon a conventional bag height of about thirty five inches and a height of a junior. The more narrow tubular configuration makes it more difficult to attempt to form dividers, and even more difficult to include both central crossing dividers in addition to side dividers. With a significantly reduced diameter, the same side pocket and crossing dividers not only take up too much of the available cross sectional area, but are much more difficult to sew and work into a bag structure. This is a particular problem at the collar where not only the divider material is present, but also collar reinforcing material.